The Jade Fox
by cosmos-heart
Summary: <html><head></head>"It's okay.. Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you." Her blue-green eyes struck a cord deep in Kagome's soul, and she felt a warmth in her heart. "Inuyasha." She whimpered, her eyes filling with tears. She touched their foreheads together as again she breathed warmth into the priestess's soul. "Don't cry. Wake up now. He's worried about you." Inuyasha x Kagome; Miroku x Sango</html>
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer; I do not own any Inuyasha characters...

Comment; Please, please, pleeeaase, don't be rude. I understand that there are people who might not appreciate the way I write or what I write about. However, I would appreciate it completely if you just directed yourself elsewhere if that's the case. After all, this is supposed to be for fun and nothing more. Thanks and enjoy.

"Oh, wow! Shippo, it's beautiful!" Kagome exclaimed, holding up a small, jade bangle that the young fox demon had just removed from the inside of his kimono. She turned it this way and that, studying the way the light coiled on the stones and rippled like the surface of once still water. "Where did you get it?" Shippo bowed his head, twiddling his little thumbs together as the warmth of a pink blush flooded his cheeks. "My father gave it to my mother when they first met. She told me that he went far away to get it for her, and that she'd treasured it ever since. When she died, he gave it to me as a way to remember her, which is why I want you to have it, Kagome." The priestess's face heated openly, lips turning up in the corners for a broad smile as she gathered Shippo up in her arms for a tight embrace. "Thank you, Shippo. I'll take good care of it." That said, she slipped the jade bangle across her hand and up on her wrist, relaxing her fingers so that it fell against the shape of her arm. Although the length of her uniform sleeve prevented it from exactly resting against the complexion of her skin, it looked rather lovely on her, she thought. _Not much is really known about Shippo's mother. _Kagome thought, inclining her head so that her chin hovered delicately above her chest._ We know that his father was killed by the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten, but that's where his history always seems to end. It was always safe to assume that his mother might have been running around somewhere alive, but... I guess it was wrong of me to assume that in these troubled times. Everyone seems to have a horror story in this beautiful place._ It was in that particular train of thought that Kagome stopped in her tracks, and peered ahead in the direction that they were traveling. She felt the tiny threads at the edge of her reality being tugged; snatched was more like, and all in the realization that a shard of the sacred jewel was nearby. Surely she would've felt it when it was faint, but her thoughts were so far away from it that she hadn't noticed. The fine hairs at her nape prickled a bit when she heard Inuyasha speak her name, and her head turned for their eyes to lock together in a stare. "What is it?" He asked, turning his tall form towards her. "I sense a sacred jewel shard nearby." She said, turning her head a bit in order to pinpoint the shard's exact location. "It's that way."

The village they came upon in their haste wasn't particularly elaborate in its design. The huts were put together but there was evidence of poverty in spite of the lush nature of the rice crops, and the horses that whinnied from their stalls. The sand crunched beneath her shoes, grinding further into the tread that lined the bottom with each step that she took. Her soft brown eyes weren't looking at the village itself; rather, they studied the temple that lay just on the other side. Tall columns of finely carved stone had been erected in magnificent design, and crimson tapestries cascaded from the edges; sweeping beautifully in the wind. "That's strange. Normally there's a sign of evil when we come up on jewel shards, but I don't sense the slightest hint of malevolence here." Miroku murmured, raising his hand out in praying fashion close to his face in order to praise someone for this stroke of luck. "The shard is coming from that temple up ahead." Kagome explained, pointing it out as though no one else in their party had taken time to notice it. "A temple?" Sango inquired, furrowing her brow in uncertainty as she tightened the grip she'd placed on her weapon. "But how could such a poor village afford such a thing?" Inuyasha grunted, offering a cocky grin as his initial answer. "I don't know and I don't care. All I care about is the jewel shard that's waiting for us inside."

The wind blew through the sanguine cloth, rustling the tapestries on the loops that secured them to the domicile. The summer sun warmed Kagome's back, and yet as they climbed the stairway to reach the entrance, a chill washed down her spine. She took in a heavy breath, pausing once they reached the top to get a better bearing on things. The thrumming at the edges of her sense were now a strong pulse that vibrated in her core and radiated outward. She reached out to the curtain that served as the doorway, and Inuyasha's powerful hand struck out in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. "What is it, Inuyasha?" She asked, looking almost frantic to decipher what it was that had stopped him so abruptly. "I got a bad feeling about this place." Shippo whispered, chills shaking him like the cold. Inuyasha growled low in his throat, tipping his head forward as he spoke to her without looking in her direction. "You stay here, Kagome." Retracting his hand, he reached down to the hilt of Tetsusaiga and gave it a reassuring squeeze, savoring the feel of power that surged from it. "I'll stay here with Kagome. Just in case. Miroku, you go with Inuyasha." Sango instructed. "But, I couldn't imagine just leaving you two ladies all by yourselves out here." He said, his hand already wandering as he spoke such innocent, caring words to the demon slayer. His probing hand wandered lower and lower down the contours of her slender physique without exactly making contact just yet. His fingers hovered over the shape of her firm rear, and driven by confidence, he settled his hand upon it for an excited rub. A deep blush spread over his face, a look of utter content amplified by the sweet sigh he illicited. One of her eyebrows gave a fierce spasm; twitching angrily as her hand shot up from her side and planted itself hard on his cheek. **Slap! **"Pervert." She cursed, gliding away from him in irritable strides. "What an idiot." Shippo remarked, regarding Miroku with a blank expression. "Ooh, my sweet, Sango." The monk sighed again, caressing his aching cheek with his "probing" hand. Before Inuyasha moved from his spot, he finally directed his gaze at Kagome with the intention of asking a question. "Is it moving?" She shook her head in disagreement, noting inwardly that the jewel hadn't moved at all since they began their pursuit of its whereabouts. "Be careful." She answered.

Inuyasha and Miroku nodded at one another then disappeared inside; their footsteps only audible for a short period. Inside, a variety of candles were arranged neatly around the foot of a tall statue that bore the resemblance of a Kitsune. The carving in the stone at the bottom of the platform indicated that this was a shrine to the goddess, Inari; hence the fox like representation. It made complete sense given the nature of the crops in the village, and what Inari was known for. Much like the tapestries on the outside, the inner walls were lined with them with intent to match the cloth that was strung around the neck of the statue. Out in front of the statue was a single bowl of cooked rice that still had steam pluming off of it, and on a folded piece of cloth alongside it was a set of jade chopsticks and the shard in question. Its pink hue resonated across the stone walls, reflecting in utter purity in spite of its horrid abilities. "Inuyasha, be on your guard." Miroku murmured, feeling a prickling at the edge of his sense as indication something wasn't quite right. "Don't worry, Miroku." He retorted, relinquishing his grip on Tetsusaiga to reach out towards the jewel shard. A sharp pulse radiated then from the statue of the fox that sat so proudly before them, and the hanyou could've sworn he saw its brilliant eyes move. The fur that lined the canine ears on his crown prickled in warning, and he hesitated, flexing his fingers just mere inches from the shard. "Inuyasha!" Miroku called in warning, his eyes suddenly noting the strange movements of the statue, and his hand instinctively slipped inside his robes to retrieve an exorcism sutra.

Meanwhile, outside of the temple, Kagome and Sango stood together alongside the transformed Kirara in what could only be deciphered as the temple's garden. Koi fish splashed in the nearby pond; their oranges and alabasters streaming with speckles of black in the crystal of the liquid. Although she had to admit it was serene and beautiful, her mind was not on the lovely aspect of nature; rather, her thoughts were with Inuyasha and how worried she was. She adjusted the way her bow sat across her shoulder, and squeezed it much in the way that Inuyasha had done Tetsusaiga. "Do you think they're alright, Sango?" She asked, directing her attention to the quiet woman alongside her. Sango brushed her hand between Kirara's ears, scratching gently as she too seemed lost in thought. "I'm sure they're alright, Kagome. If things do start to get out of hand, we'll help." A sharp breath shot from Kirara's lungs as she pricked her ears, turning her head to the farthest point of the garden curiously. "Wow, did you hear that too, Kirara?" Shippo inquired. "Hear what, Shippo?" Sango asked, looking in the same direction that the two demons were. Without getting a verbal answer, she achieved a physical one. A streak of darkness shot from one stroke of brush to the next, and then a pair of almond shaped eyes, glowing red, peered out at them. The temple walls began to vibrate much to the effect of an earthquake, and the two stumbled on their feet, grabbing onto one another to maintain balance. "What is that thing?" Kagome yelped, her breath coming in fast paces now. "I don't know." Sango replied, grabbing her Hiraikotsu by the sash at the top. "But it's about to be done." She released it, screaming out her weapon's title at the top of her lungs. The beast, whatever it was, appeared to turn to mist when the bone passed through it, but it had simply moved elsewhere at an accelerated rate of speed. The body was a mass of shadows that were writhing in spiritual affect, and ringlets of smoke coiled away from it in serpentine grace. Her weapon returned, her hand seizing it with ease so that it was planted against her body again. "My Hiraikotsu went right through it."

Miroku drew the sutra close to him, praying in voiceless movements over it before he struck with it, slinging it towards the statue. "Demon, be gone!" The sutra flew with the accuracy that he'd instilled in it, but before it reached the stone, it froze - suspended in midair! The lettering on the sutra began to glow red, and the paper dissolved in blue fire to a small pile of ash on the floor. The eyes of the statue, which were definitely open now, glittered a blood red, and the artifact began to move. The stone crumbled in pebbles on the floor as the legs separated from the body, and the haunches lifted from its seated position. A fierce cry erupted from its jaws, echoing through the temple in shrieks that pierced even Miroku's ears. The hanyou growled, snatching Tetsusaiga from its sheath and it transformed mid-stroke. The stone fox hissed angrily at him, recoiling its head away from him as its tail swung around in flexible strokes. It spun on the tips of its solid paws, planting them as the massive appendage would catch Inuyasha across his side and fling him away. Miroku bellowed his comrades name, resisting the urge to flinch when Inuyasha struck through the stone wall and into the grass outside. "Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, racing to him with the speed of a madwoman. The temple wall opened up even further as the fox creature leaped from within, shrieking once more in excitement as it drove itself towards the half demon. "Kagome, no! Get away!" He shouted at her but his words hit deaf ears. The fox slammed its feet down on either side of Inuyasha and flames burst from its tail, coiling in heat all across the gray surface. One of its paws lifted from the ground and it swung, thrusting Kagome completely off her feet and against the hill side.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, his amber eyes glittering with a rage that could not be contained.


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer; I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters.

**Recap; **_Last time in The Jade Fox..._  
>Hi. Kagome here! We were still on our journey in search of Naraku's whereabouts when I sensed a sacred jewel shard. In our pursuit of the shard, we came up on a poor village with an expensive temple, and if that wasn't strange enough, the statue inside attacked Inuyasha and Miroku. We can only guess that something is manipulating the statue to get the sacred jewel shard! Could it be Naraku?! Find out in this chapter of The Jade Fox.<p>

Kagome hit the grassy hillside with such force that the breath flew from her lungs. Her pupils dilated as her chest heaved, burning with the ache to draw in oxygen. She shuddered violently, her head tipping sideways, and small beads of perspiration slithered from her hairline across her face. Her breath came in even shudders now, and her pools had disappeared behind her lids in unconsciousness. Somewhere, in the distance, she could hear a voice calling her name - screaming it, but she was just so tired, she wanted to sleep. She wasn't afraid. Inuyasha would watch over her. As she slipped deeper and deeper into her unconscious state, the jade bracelet that was twisted on her wrist gave a noticeable pulse of energy. Through the stone, if one happened to be looking, they would percieve the sight of flames leaping through the blue-green hue.

_Mist hovered upon the grassy plain; sweeping across the dense foliage that was only partially bathed by moonlight. Kagome's feet felt far too heavy for her to be on this plain, and yet, she pressed through the darkness at least a couple of steps. "Hello?" She called, surveying the area around her with the utmost concern. A chilling wind coursed all around her, whipping through her hair and stinging her face. She cried out, collapsing on her knees to gasp once again for air. In the silence, she could almost make out the sound of voices; people were talking, and she could hear her name being mentioned on their lips. "Hello, is someone there?" She beckoned again, feeling Inuyasha's name forming on her lips. A sharp yipping sound made all the hair on the back of Kagome's neck prickle, and she twisted around curtly, scanning the brush for any sign of what made the noise. Her legs weakly climbed underneath as she rose to her shaking feet. She reached for her bow and felt nothing but air, which is what provoked her whimpering once more. The same eyes that peered at her in the temple garden now seemed to be leering at her through the brush in this strange place. "Inuyasha.." She mewled, stepping backwards away from the sight of those eyes. "I don't know what you want. I don't have anything." While she was almost certain that the jewel shards were still with her; she wasn't keen on the idea of presenting them so freely. One paw stepped from the shadowy grasses; ears perked high on a slender crown with whiskers twitching lightly on the sleek muzzle. A multitude of tails arched away from the slope of its haunches, elevated above the ground in an honored posture. Steam plumed from the beast's jaws, enveloping its face as it began to take slow, precise steps towards the girl. Kagome spun on her toes, running as fast as her body would allow her to, and all the while she felt the building of his name on her lips. "Inuyasha!" As she ran through the grass, she began to take notice of how familiar it looked. Up ahead then, she saw the sight of the temple erected in its original splendor but there was no sign of a village. Somehow she knew that Inuyasha wasn't there, and though her heart screamed for his help, she realized she'd have to find another way out. Behind her the beast scrambled, racing at its maddening pace that was somehow incapable of exactly catching her in this world they were in._

_Inside the temple, a slender figure peered out from the opening in the doorway. Tresses dark as lacquer cascaded beautifully across her bare shoulders, concealing her ample breasts from view with their veil. Her blue-green eyes watched intently, studying the way Kagome sprinted across the field towards the temple as though she knew the place. "How did a mortal get here?" The question wasn't asked for any specific person. It was something simply rolled off her tongue in curiosity, and who could blame her for being that way? All the years spent on this plain and never once has a mortal soul been able to make it there, let alone move around in it. Then, Kamiko received the answer to her question in the form of a sharp pulse from the bangle on her wrist. Her gaze descended the length of her own arm, focusing on the way the jade bracelet illuminated with every decisive pulse. She pursed her lips with intent to speak again, but the words never left because she heard the sound of Kagome crying out. The priestess had fallen in the loose soil; clods of grass clinging to her legs and feet with the stickiness of glue. She cried out, covering her head as she prepared to accept the beast's jaws upon her but they never came. Turning her head back, her eyes widened at the sight before her. The shadowy manifestation had stopped in its tracks, and it was infuriated by the sight of something above it. Kagome looked up, her eyes widening further at the strange creature that descended from the heavens. Four paws illustrated something of an animal's design, but it was the many tails on its body that made the difference. Plush, silvery white fur covered the body of this lean creature, and its slim crown was held in pride, chest taunt with warning breaths. The blue-green eyes that stared at the shadow fox glittered in brilliance, and what looked to be a smug grin was held on its muzzle lips. The shadow fox made to approach, his paws sinking in the muck same as Kagome's had done. The silver vixen took a slow stride forward, and steam rolled from beneath her paws as the grass was dissolved into ash. Kagome stared at this lovely creature, counting the tails that flowed and arched from the contours of its shape. "Kitsune." She whispered, obviously recognizing the beasts for what they were in that moment and that moment alone.  
><strong>She's mine, Kamiko. I saw her first.<strong> He spat, snatching his head in an attempt for a dominant display. Kamiko lifted her muzzle towards the sky and plunged forth without warning, her tails bristling as she came down on top of him._

_Unlike the mortal weapons, her jaws were able to clip him with the daggers that rested within. Her tails swung around, flames erupting from their ends and the scent of scorched fur flowing from her opponent. She dropped her head low, prowling around him with the presence of a predator. He flattened his ears, stepping back away from her in slow, uneven strides. **Did you forget your place? **She snarled, lunging again on him like a serpent. The difference from before to now was that the instant her teeth made contact, a bright light flooded from her many tails and they bound around him. He hissed, throwing his head back as his flesh began to shrivel, breaking away from the solid pearl of bone with the meat falling. He crumbled beneath her; death having taken him through spiritual power alone. Kamiko stood proud over him, directing her haunting gaze back on Kagome. **How did you get here? **She asked, stepping easily over the girl to touch a paw against her chest. The touch of the Kitsune made Kagome feel lighter than air, and she was able to breathe without any difficulty now. "I don't know. I woke up here." She explained. It was now time for the bracelet on Kagome's wrist to pulse excitedly, and the sight of fire bloomed in its stone facade. The true form of her being faded in sweet, sakura scent smoke, and Kamiko was left to face the girl in her human illusion. Her eyes retained that blue-green hue; her skin as flawless as a porcelain doll's, and her dark hair flowing freely fell just barely beyond her waist in length. Though it wasn't as many as before, Kagome could make out the plush fur of a silvery white tail draped across the back of Kamiko's legs. The Kitsune woman was bent down on her knees in front of the girl, but that didn't resolve the conflict in Kagome's mind over the fact that Kamiko was naked. She'd bathed with Sango many times and they'd seen one another, but there had always been a sense of modesty about it. In relief of the moment, tears filled Kagome's brown eyes and she sniffled, inclining her head towards her chest. Now all the weight of reality pressed in on her, and she worried deeply that she may never see Inuyasha or the others again. Kamiko canted her head, furrowing her brow as she reached out to caress Kagome's cheek. "It's okay.. Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you." Her blue-green eyes struck a cord deep in Kagome's soul, and she felt a warmth in her heart. "Inuyasha." Kamiko touched their foreheads together as again she breathed warmth into the priestess's soul. "Don't cry. You have to wake up now. He's worried about you." It hadn't taken long for the Kitsune to figure out that Kagome had been connected to her world through the bracelet. The spiritual energy that resided in it had requested help from the same person that had supplied the force to the stone. It had called for her. Kamiko drew Kagome into her arms, stroking the back of Kagome's head as she rested her chin upon its top. "I'll protect you."  
><em>

Kagome shot upright in the grass, nearly cracking her forehead against Inuyasha's in the process. She gasped for breath, touching the tips of her fingers against her throat as she coughed hard for several minutes. "Kagome, are you alright?" He asked, retaining the close proximity of their bodies. She glanced up at him and emit a faint whimper, leaping forward to hug his neck tightly. "Inuyasha, I was so scared!" His expression fell, warmth immediately flooding his cheeks as he scratched the side of his head. "Thank you for saving me." She whispered. He shook his head roughly then, "I didn't do anything. After the demon hit you, Kagome, it just burned up." She pulled away, furrowing her brow in obvious confusion for what he meant. "Yeah, Kagome. Don't you remember? When the demon hit you, it was like it couldn't stand touching you. It started smoking and burst into flames." Shippo explained, readjusting his perch on Miroku's shoulder in the process. Kagome touched the tips of her fingers against her cheek as suddenly images flooded back into her mind. "Burst into flames?" She murmured. _Kamiko's tails enveloped the shadow fox, smoke ascending between them in thick, boiling rolls, and he fell apart. _Kagome gasped, nearly falling over backwards into the grass again. _It really happened. _ She thought. "What is it, Kagome?" Sango inquired, crouching down alongside the priestess to get a better examination of her. "Hey Miroku." She said, raising her gaze to his face. "What can you tell me about the spirit world?" He closed his eyes, crossing his arms with his staff pressed against his chest. "Well, it's believed that there is the other world, but something tells me that's not what you mean. Legend has it that when demons of a powerful nature die, their spirits go somewhere different than their bodies. If rebirth is possible for them, then they will be pulled from the spirit world that you mentioned to be planted in a new body. However, if they do something like that, their powers will be modified in the sense that they won't be the same demon. The only demons that seemed immune to this particular alteration are Kitsune, and it's believed that they are immune to it simply because their power lies in the state of spirit and illusion. Now, I haven't heard anything recently about that sort of thing, but there were many stories in my childhood about Kitsune bewitching men to devour their souls."

"Hey!" Shippo protested, thrusting his tiny fist outward in pure indication that he didn't like what Miroku was insinuating about his kind. "Not all Kitsune are like that. No, that's not what I was trying to say, Shippo." The monk said, rubbing the back of his neck in a rather sheepish display. "Why did you want to know about the spirit world, Kagome?" Sango asked in an attempt to redirect the conversation from Miroku's unnatural lack of thought. Kagome made a soft hmming sound, twiddling her fingers together as she contemplated the best way for her to explain it. "Well, I think I was there." The look of shock on the other's faces served as more than enough incentive for her to proceed in her explanation. "Well, all I know is that I woke up in this place that was covered in mist, but it was starting to get cold so I don't think the mist was a normal thing. Then I heard this noise from behind me, and when I looked the demon was there. It was angry about something I did, and so I ran from it as fast as I could. But the ground.. I, I seemed so heavy. My feet didn't even want to move. I tripped in the mud and I thought, someone please help me. Someone has to help me, right? I felt him coming, I knew he would be on top of me in an instant, but... it never came. When I finally looked back, he was standing far away from me, and there was a silver fox in between us. Though he didn't seem to want to admit it, he looked scared. He looked terrified of it."


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer; I do not own any Inuyasha characters.**

**Recap; **_Last time in The Jade Fox! We had just located another shard of the sacred jewel when we were attacked by what appeared to be two different demons. Sango tried to hit the first one with Hiraikotsu, and it looked like it went right through it. Could anything touch this demon? Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Miroku faced off with the demon that was inhabiting the statue of Inari, but before Miroku could perform an exorcism, it attacked. The demon was way too fast for the likes of us to keep up with it, and to make matters worse, it was about to crush Inuyasha. I ran to him in the hopes that I might be of some help, but the demon turned on me. When it hit me, I was taken to this "other world" where I met a strange, female demon. Who could she be? And why did she save me? Find out now in this chapter of The Jade Fox! :)_

_**Present;**_  
>The fire crackled in the small pit they'd dug out for it earlier in the evening, and heat resonated from the deepest core of it, warming those who rested nearest to it. Kagome uncurled her legs within her sleeping bag, turning her frame towards the sprawled mass of Shippo alongside her. Unconsciously, she reached out to the young fox demon and brushed the tips of her fingers across his cheek. In spite of true sleep, a tender smile formed on her lips and she sighed contentedly. The only one who seemed the slightest bit aware of her unsolicited movements was Inuyasha; who was still sitting upright against the base of a tree, Tetsusaiga in hand, watching over them. His amber pools flickered much like the hues of the fire, and his brow quivered in an inquisitive furrow. <em>She really cares about him, doesn't she? <em>He thought.

_Grasslands spread for as far as the eye could see; the foliage thickening at the tree lines and the flowers that bloomed there, wilted a bit in the darkness. The mist that had kissed the ground just a short while ago had lifted, swept away by some unseen, natural force of things. Kagome's steps were light and even; her shoes barely pressing into the earth with each step. She didn't feel as frightened as she had the last time she'd seen the place. As a matter of fact, she was much more curious now as to how she'd gotten there in the first place. From the edge of the forest, a visitor approached her. "It's you." Kagome murmured, finally noticing the woman that was coming towards her. Kamiko fluttered her lashes gently, having obtained some clothing since the last time she'd seen the mortal girl. "Walk with me, Kagome. I have something I think you'll enjoy." She extended her hand, palm raised, and uncurled her fingers without thoroughly extending her claws. Kagome glanced down at the maiden's hand and accepted it, gasping a bit as she was quickly tugged forward. Kamiko looped her powerful arm around the girl's waist, guiding her back into the woods from where she'd originally ventured. "What is it you want to show me?" She asked, trying her level best to keep from tripping the both of them up. "You'll see." Was the only answer that she gave to her._

_The steam that bloomed off of the hot spring looked thoroughly inviting to the young woman, she had to admit. Her only question that remained yet was how the demon knew she longed for a soak. "You took a nasty bump to the head today." She said, as if she'd been reading Kagome's mind the entire time. Kamiko stepped away from Kagome, keeping her back to the girl in a show that she was giving her some privacy. Kagome nodded her head, tugging at the cloth of her uniform so that it fell in a heap in the grass at her feet. She draped her forearm over her breasts and waded out, turning back only when she was about waist deep in the water. When she looked back at her, Kamiko had already shed the layers of her kimono and was wading out into the water herself. The demoness, however, didn't seem to be the slightest bit modest as she had been before. She held her arms down at her sides, displaying herself in a way that seemed tinged in pride. Kagome couldn't help but notice the way the silver on her tail coexisted with the darkness of her hair, and she liked the look of it, immediately thinking of Inuyasha's light hair mixed with her own. "There are many questions I'm sure that you'd like to ask me. Well, go ahead." She said, reaching beneath the water to locate a sitting stone before she settled herself down to rest. Kagome felt heat run into her face, and she laughed, embarassed. "Well, who are you exactly? I mean, you seem so familiar but.. I can't figure it out." A laugh radiated from her chest. Kamiko tipped her face heavenward and inhaled deeply, "My name is Kamiko. I was once a servant of Inari; tasked with the duties of cleansing nogitsune. I reached my ninth tail status just before Shippo was born." The name clicked in her like a stroke of electricity and Kagome gasped, clasping her hand over her mouth. 'She's Shippo's mother!' Kagome thought feverishly, scooting closer to the woman so that she could get a better look at her._

_"Now I know why you're so familiar to me. He looks a lot like you." She said, referencing Kamiko's eyes when she said it. The vixen brushed her claws through her hair and then shook her head. "No. While he has my eyes, he looks everything like his father." Kagome looked at the bangle on her own wrist and then the one on Kamiko's. 'She must have locked her energy in the bracelet before she died. So she would always be connected to him. Is that why I'm able to be here and no one else is?' She thought. Kamiko stared at the girl and reached out towards her, cupping her palm against Kagome's cheek. She brushed her thumb across her cheek bone, mindful of the sharp texture of her claws. Kagome felt a tingling sensation in her flesh at the caress, and an unsure blush creapt into her cheeks. "Don't be embarassed." She reassured, raising her other hand to cup the other cheek. "You're attracted to me, but not in the way that you think. It's innocent." She cooed, leaning in closer to the maiden so as to put very little distance between their bodies. Kagome's heart began to race in her chest; pounding like the beat of an erratic drum. Her eyes widened in their sockets as Kamiko leaned ever closer and then, their lips touched. There were no fireworks, no unhindered, passionate sex. It was a simple, tender kiss. Kagome felt different after accepting that kiss. Kamiko didn't ask anything else of her afterwards either. The fox woman merely brushed Kagome's hair back from her face, and then leaned in to touch their foreheads together. "You need to wake up now, dear Kagome. It's almost morning and you don't want to lag behind today, do you?" The world around her began to spin violently; steam swirling and mixing with the colors of that fantastic place. "No! Shippo needs you, I can't leave you here!" She exclaimed, latching onto Kamiko's wrist so hard a bright light cast over the both of them and they were thrust into the void._

Kagome's body pulsed in the mortal world, and she groaned faintly, furrowing her brow as she buried her head a little further beneath the covering of her sleeping bag. Shippo stirred. His nose twitched a bit as he sniffed the air, and more importantly, Kagome. He opened his large eyes, staring at the woman's face so intently, he could've sworn that he saw her complexion change just for a moment. Kagome's lashes quivered, parting slowly for her to lock eyes with him, and in that moment, he saw the blue-green shadow in her eyes. "Kagome?" Shippo whispered, scooting a little closer to settle his tiny hand on her cheek. She shook her head a bit, touching her palm over the back of his hand as something moved beneath the cloth of her sleeping bag. A silver tail brushed across the boy's little foxy feet, and his eyes welled with tears, his face burying itself against her. She drew him in to her frame, cradling him gently as she rose up into a sitting position so as to hold him properly. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, running quietly down the shape of her cheek to drip on his head. "What are you doing up? Is something wrong?" Sango asked, cracking one sleepy eye towards the girl. Kagome took in a sharp breath; the tail, the different hue of her eyes, and the claws disappearing long before Sango could focus on her. "No, nothing's wrong. I just woke up." She smiled hesitantly, glancing downward with her gaze at the way Shippo held on to her so tightly. _Oh, Kagome.. What have you done? _ She thought, reclining into her sleeping bag with the boy resting on her chest. _You let me see m_y son. _That's what you did._ Said a voice in the back of her mind, and Kagome felt that she was okay with that. It wasn't necessarily the best idea she'd ever had, but it had given Shippo something she was certain he'd longing for.

Miroku watched in silent revere, studying the way the youth reacted to Kagome when she'd woken up. His mind was still at work attempting to figure out why she would've been transported to that immortal plain when she was no more than a mortal. Not to say that his thoughts were envious, but many men of faith longed to view that place; for it is told to be a paradise like no other. However, he couldn't help but feel that it all had something to do with the bracelet that Shippo had given her. The instant he'd removed the bangle from his kimono, Miroku had felt a very odd energy pulsing off of it. The way it echoed in his mind, it was like it was begging to be released from captivity. In that moment, his mind had pondered the notion that perhaps the trinket had been possessed by an ancient demon long before it had been given to him, and that maybe it was the ancient demon that had taken out the boy's mother. He couldn't be very certain as that was one of the most tender subjects for him, and the monk felt it would be highly inappropriate to cross that line. Especially since he had aching places of his very own in his heart. Yet, he still felt rather conflicted as a friend might take the chance at hurting him to prevent an even bigger pain from arising for them all. Inwardly, he sighed at his own warring mind, and hoped that maybe the following day would bring him some clarity. Or at least he could pray for it. He was just about to say his prayers regarding this concerning thought and go to sleep when his intuitive eyes caught something. A small light began to pool around Kagome's bangle, and then a vulpine head lifted from Kagome's chest cavity. Blue-green, almond shaped eyes stared lovingly at Shippo's sleeping face, and its touched its canine nose against the boy's cheek. His eyes shot open immediately and he gasped, leaping back as the silver fox rose from within Kagome's body to touch its paws down in the grass. Shippo raced to its side on his hands and feet, bristling his fluffy tail as he crawled around between its legs numerous times. The vixen dropped her head to nuzzle him, murring faintly in the darkness as her many tails rustled together. Miroku reached his hand out with his staff, his eyes wide in shock then certainty. His hand rose to seek out a sutra from within his robes, and he knew that it may take a while, but that Shippo would inevitably forgive him for what he was about to do. He had just closed his fingers around the sutra when he locked eyes with the vixen. She was staring at him without the slightest hint of fear or rage in her eyes. Perhaps that was why he hesitated in snatching out the piece of parchment. A woman's voice cleared his foggy mind, and somehow he felt the touch of a soft hand on his cheek. _Do not fret, monk. I'm not here to hurt anyone. Now, you will forget that you ever saw me here tonight. I want to be with my son at least for a little while longer. Shhh... Go to sleep, dear Miroku. _His eyes had suddenly gotten very heavy, and the world was getting so peaceful, dark. He felt himself being guided down into the grass, and a sigh of ever present content rushed through him. The charms on his staff jingled peacefully as it settled down alongside him, and he was gone to the world of slumber.

Shippo marched on all fours underneath Kamiko's vulpine form, careful to keep his stride quick enough that he didn't brush against her nine tails. "Where are we going, mother?" He asked, peering up at her with innocent eyes. Kamiko glanced down at him, one of her tails uncurling from the rest to slip between her hind legs to him. The tip of the furry appendage lit up before it brushed against his tail, and the boy's human form broke apart entirely to leave an actual kit standing underneath her. A coat of baby cream, dabbled in soft rays of golden hue covered the contours of his shape, and ebony slivers tipped each ear. He was no bigger than he was in human form; his little paws padding so quietly underneath his mother. She stopped in her tracks, bristling her many tails away from her muscular hindquarters as she directed her gaze this way and that. Shippo leaped out from underneath her; his own tail bristled out in full mass as he spun in a tight little circle. **What is it? Is it a demon?! **He asked excitedly, frantically scanning the air in search of it. Kamiko leaped around him, nipping his tail before diving away with a born grace. He yipped, watching her in stillness for only a second or so before he was racing after her. She laughed, gliding up into the air above him with a simple whip of her tails to give her the momentum. Kamiko pranced away, dropping her fore-paws down on the ground with her haunches up in the air. She swayed her rear, waving it back and forth as she waited for him. Shippo leered at her, prowling forward with his own butt stuck high up in the air. Wiggling his bum roughly, he pounced! Kamiko floundered, allowing her frame to collapse in the grass with Shippo tangled up in her tails and paws. She lay on her side, paw draped across his back, and her nose breathing in the constant of his young scent. **Sunrise is approaching. I'll have to leave soon. ** Shippo whimpered softly, scooting in closer to her so that he could savor the feel of her fur against him. **When will I see you again? ** He asked. She laughed quietly, raising her head to brush her nose between his ears. **I won't be very far away, I promise you that. You'll see me again soon. Come now, I'll walk you back to the camp. ** Kamiko rose up onto her feet, her tails brushing over Shippo's form to return him to his human like appearance. He was about to leap up onto her back when she lifted him by the back of his kimono, carrying him as she would've if they were still living together in their natural forms. When Kamiko stepped into camp, she was met with a strange sight. Inuyasha was standing, leaned back against the tree he'd been sleeping against with his arms crossed over his chest. "Have fun out there, Shippo?" He growled, flicking his ears down against his crown as his gaze directed on the young boy. Kamiko lowered Shippo down to the ground, bumping him with her muzzle towards the sleeping bag Kagome was still resting in. **What do you want, Inuyasha? **She asked, taking a step towards him. "Don't you get any closer to me, demon." He grunted, reaching down towards Tetsusaiga. "I don't know what kind of spell that you put on Shippo to make him go out there with you. But it ain't gonna work on me!" He snarled, gripping the hilt of Tetsusaiga just as she disappeared into a stream of smoke. Somewhere, he could hear a woman's laugh on the wind, and he held his firm grasp, looking wildly.

When the sound faded away completely, Inuyasha snatched Shippo up from the sleeping bag by the front of his kimono. "Shippo, where did that demon take you tonight!?" He demanded. Shippo stared up at him with dreamy, sleep ridden eyes and yawned. "I don't know what you're talking about, Inuyasha. Are you sure you weren't dreaming or something?" The hanyou felt his eye begin to spasm, the brow twitching irritably as his fingers curled against his palm to make a fist. "Shippo.." He growled, raising his hand slowly in the most aggressive manner possible. The boy's eyes shot open wide and he screamed, "Ahh! Kagome!" The young woman immediately sat upright in the sleeping bag and shrieked, "Inuyasha, SIT!" The beads around Inuyasha's neck illuminated angrily, snatching him down headfirst into the dirt. He made a fierce grumbling sound in the sand, probably cursing Shippo for waking the girl up in the first place. "Are you alright, Shippo?" She asked. He offered her a cheesy grin, flashing his pointed little fangs as he dusted himself off. "Never better, Kagome." Inuyasha pushed himself upright, shaking his head in an effort to get the dirt away from his ears. "What's gotten into you, Inuyasha?" Kagome inquired. The hanyou stared at her, crossing his arms over his chest and spinning away with an irritable 'feh'. "Just forget it." He grumbled, striding away to leap up onto the lowest hanging branch of a tree. He knew he hadn't been dreaming, but at the same time, the notion seemed quite plausible. The idea that maybe his dreams had been forced into reality made sense, but if that was the case, why was it that he could still smell the foreign scent of fox on Shippo's body?

**Note, Note, Note, Note, Noooote! o: - **"Ahem, I just wanted to say that this particular chapter was meant to be a sweet one. I mean, who wouldn't have loved for Shippo to enjoy a shred of happiness with one of his actual parents? Soo, I decided that this one wouldn't be particularly violent, but I threw in a sit command, cause.. well, it's funny. :D Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll be uploading a more exciting chapter next time!


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer; **I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters.

_Somewhere far, far away in hiding..  
><em>A lone saimyosho buzzed through the air, hovering just inches from the tree canopy in preparation to descend when necessary. Its insect eyes looked on, recalling the landmarks that would lead it to its master. Tired, it fluttered low to a place shrouded by total darkness. An almost unseen force parted in the midst to allow the creature passage, and it went through without a second thought towards a castle that looked abandoned. In spite of that shabby consideration, the structure was still sound and in good condition. The saimyosho flew in through a crack in the doorway and went down a hallway to a room at the far end, waited til the door opened, and went inside. The young man sitting against the wall was clad in silk finery, which appeared off given the white baboon pelt that was draped on his person. The insect demon flew close to him, buzzing still to inform him of the information it had gathered while it'd been away. "So, the young fox's mother has found her way back, has she? I would've thought that by using the monks to get at her, she'd have been gone for good. It seems I underestimated that woman." He chuckled deeply, tilting his head forward as he ran through his various courses of action to decide which he would take. "I won't make that mistake again.. Kagura." He called. From the doorway, a set of crimson, demonic eyes stared through the shadows at her so-called master. "Yes, Naraku?" She asked, brushing her thumb across the black shape of her fan. "I need you to run an errand for me."

/

Kagome kept her head down, lips set in a firm pout as she glared at the ground. "Oh, come on, Inuyasha. I'm sorry I said it, okay? Can't we just let it slide?" She asked, stamping her foot hard, arms stuck straight down at her sides. He snapped his head around to glare at her, "No, we can't just let it slide. Okay? The one time I didn't even deserve it, and you just want to let it go." He crossed his arms and pointed his nose in the air, blowing hard as he struck on ahead once again. Kagome groaned, shaking her head slowly. Was he ever going to stop being mad at her? She'd apologized most of the morning in an attempt to lighten the mood with him, but it seemed that he was just going to be ill-tempered about it for the rest of her life. She touched her palm against her cheek for a moment, feeling a small bit of pressure tumbling at the farthest corners of her mind. /_I think he likes her.. Maybe even, loves her. Still, he's far too stubborn of a man to show it. Hmm. Maybe I can be of some assistance./_ Though the thoughts were surely going on in Kagome's head from her shared spirit, the priestess was none the wiser of what the Kitsune vixen was planning for her. If she had been, she would've certainly put a stop to it. Especially given the fact that she was more than well aware of Inuyasha's attachments still resting with Kikyo. Not that she was evious of that fact. No, not at all. ...Okay, maybe a little.

"Hey, Kagome. Why don't we stop here and rest for a while? It'll give us a chance to stock back up on some water." Sango offered, directing her hand towards the sound of a river's rushing current nearby. Kagome stopped only a moment to consider it, and then offered a curt nod of her head in agreement. "That'd be great. I'll go tell Inuyasha and we'll meet you at the river." Breaking into a quick sprint, Kagome quickly disappeared into the tree line after the hanyou; her skirt billowing intimately against her soft colored thighs. It wasn't but a brief run and she came upon him. He was standing still; as if he'd been waiting for her to come running after him. "Inuyasha," she called, slowing her stride to an easy walk as she came alongside him. He looked from the corner of his eyes at her; the amber seeming to illuminate in swirling, fire-like streams of gold. She hesitated. How could she not? To her, he was the image of perfection. From the tips of his canine ears all the way down to his toes. There was not a thing about him that she truly disliked. It was all a part of him. "Look Inuyasha, I'm sorry about last night. I overreacted." She kept her tone at the lowest volume, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would hear her with his heightened senses. He nodded in her direction, and she knew that was his way of accepting her apology. Kagome was just about to tell him of the temporary break in their journey when a new feeling overcame her. She didn't feel it approaching as she might've before. Instead, it fell like a new blanket all across her soul and she found a different voice telling her what to do.

Kagome's fingers gave a slight twitch, uncurling from the palm of her hand. It ascended her body in a slow pace, hovering just over her heart as if to still the rapid pace of its beat, and then she reached for him. Instead of touching his shoulder or even his chest, her fingertips sought the porcelain skin that covered his cheek. Inuyasha reacted quickly, grasping onto her wrist just before her hand reached his face. He didn't squeeze hard; instead, he barely onto it. She turned her attention to their shared touch, and then eased her wrist from him. It didn't go very far. Kagome's fingers were like the wind, brushing warmth in the spaces between his dangerous claws and then settling in the curves at his hand. She held her fingers out without completely interlocking them, and her misty brown eyes didn't overlook the crimson that darkened his beautiful face. The priestess lowered her fingers slowly for the prints to touch the back of his knuckles, and she gave a gentle squeeze against his hand to imply total innocence. Her heart thrummed so madly in her chest, she was certain he'd be able to hear its song. If the half-demon was able to hear it, and surely he was, he didn't let it on. He took a deep breath, feeling at a loss for what to do. A little voice in the back of his mind told him it was okay for her to touch him, and that he did indeed love the girl more than anything. However, there was another voice telling him that it wasn't okay. That touching her would lead to dangerous paths, and more than likely she would end up dead just like Kikyo. He shuddered, preparing to snatch his hand away from her grasp. So lost had he been in his private thoughts that he had missed her other hand reaching out to him. This one reached his face, and he was stilled like a statue. His breath fell in rapidly, heaving his chest against the fabric of his clothes. The world was on fire around them. He was burning up inside, and this touch was the only thing that could cool his flesh. It kept him safe. His ears folded a bit, his eyes softening in their intensity, and his lips whispered her name. "Kagome."

Somewhere, on some plain in Kagome's head, Kamiko was certainly doing a dance of joy. For certainly, her simple antics had broken down a million walls between the two youth. She could feel the way he was reacting to that tenderness from Kagome, and how she was feeling just being able to perform it. All that was left was to get them closer; that is, bond the two of them together in the way that people in love are supposed to do. She recognized, of course, that getting this to follow through in the exact way she planned would require a number of things. For one, she had to make sure that the two had some privacy. After all it seemed the only time the half-demon felt comfortable enough to even show the slightest twinge of feeling for the girl was when they were alone together. Her devious, Kitsune mind was already fabricating an elaborate plan to lock Kagome and Inuyasha away in privacy, and distract the lecherous monk with the beautiful Sango. Oh, she was a romantic heart. There was no mistaking that.

The two of them held that intimate moment between them for as long as it was capable of lasting, and with one sudden intake of air, Kagome tugged her hands away. She tucked her forearms against the flat plain of her belly, inclining her head as if he hadn't already seen the deep blush that darkened her face. It wasn't just Kagome that seemed at a loss. Inuyasha had made a point himself of directing his face elsewhere, and was trying his level best to get her sweet perfume out of his nose. "So, um.. Yeah, we're taking a break by the river over there to resupply. I came over here to tell you that." She explained herself in a meek voice, still trying to calm her overly paced heart. He nodded at her, feeling that he spoke to her in that moment, he'd give himself away. Inuyasha directed their twin party, guiding her to the exact location of the river where Sango and Miroku were resting. "You two sure were gone for a long time. What exactly were you doing?" Miroku asked, squinting his eyes a bit at them while still trying to retain his "holy" resolve. "Uh." Inuyasha stammered, his own expression faltering in the face of interrogation by the monk. Kagome made a soft squeaking noise and spun sideways, crossing her arms in irritation. "It's not what you think, Miroku. You're such a lecher." She grumbled, deciding to just leave it at that. All of a sudden, Inuyasha's body went completely rigid and his hand flew to Tetsusaiga. "What is it?" Kagome asked, spinning around just in time to see him do it. "Kagura." He answered.

The winds shifted, mounted, and eased off as the young looking demon fell from her feather to the grass below. Her bare feet sank somewhat in the soft soil, and she held her fan closed right in front of her face. "What do you want?" Inuyasha growled, releasing Tetsusaiga from its sheath and holding it out in front of himself. "I've come for the boy." She said, directing the tip of her fan towards Shippo; who immediately cowered back behind Kagome's legs. "What do you want with me?" He stammered, latching on to one of Kagome's legs as if it would save him from being taken. "Must we always do things this way?" She asked, pursing her lips as she snapped her fan open. "Dance of the blades!" She cried, swinging it outwards to them in streaks of crescent lights that shredded anything in their path. "Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, scooping her up at the last minute to leap out of the way. "Kirara!" Sango had called, latching onto the fur at Kirara's shoulders the instant the feline transformed. "You guys okay?" Inuyasha asked when the blades had vanished, setting Kagome down. Shippo, who had held up for the ride, relinquished his grip on Kagome and stood just a step or two behind her. He felt much safer now given that his friends were prepared to protect him with their every being. "Yeah. We're alright." Miroku answered, remaining perched on Kirara's back just as Sango had. "That's it, Kagura. You're finished now." Inuyasha said, holding the Tetsusaiga out in front of himself. His demonic eyes fixated in on her, taking note of every detail that was possible to accept. "Wind Scar!" He snarled, swiping down with the glowing sword that sent waves shooting out; ripping ravines in the earth and scalding the grass. Kagura hissed, having launched herself up in the air at the last minute to avoid the attack she'd come to fear immensely. It was in the moment spent realizing that she'd gotten away from it that they took notice of the fact Shippo was no longer on the ground. He was upside down in the air in Kohaku's grasp; his scent having been blocked out by the change in the wind, making it impossible for Inuyasha to pinpoint him until now. "Kohaku." Sango whispered, instinctively reaching out her hand towards her younger brother. The boy demon slayer did not appear to want to hurt Shippo. Instead, he plucked a menagerie of hairs from the boy's tail and head; then removed one of his claws as well. He flicked his arm out to send Shippo flying, and Inuyasha leaped into the air, catching the young fox in his grasp. When he landed, he gave the boy a small shake in an effort to rouse him, but it appeared that Shippo had been temporarily knocked out.

Kagome felt something strike on the inside of her heart. She was unfathomably angry in feeling that she could not quite understand. She was not the type of person to get this angry, and yet, she felt that even as a human she could twist Naraku's head off. Although fuming in rage, she accepted Shippo from Inuyasha's grasp and held the boy close. She cradled him like a child, brushing his bangs from his brow in tenderness. "Shippo." She whispered, inwardly hoping that maybe the sound of her voice would wake him. Perhaps it was the sound of her voice, or maybe he was simply coming around, but Shippo's eyes fluttered regardless. He groaned softly, touching his hand against the side of his head as he peered up at the faces looking down on him. "What happened? Did Kagura get away?" He murmured. Miroku nodded to acknowledge his question and then his attention turned to Sango. She was standing a small distance away looking at the spot where her brother had just disappeared. _Kohaku.. _She thought, wanting more than anything to save her little brother from the demon's grasp. It wasn't until Miroku touched his hand against her shoulder that she even realized she'd still been staring. He gave her a comforting squeeze, "It's going to be okay, Sango. We're going to save him." Though he knew he was in no state to being promises, he felt that the one he'd just remade for her would be followed through on. Even if it wasn't by him, he knew that Inuyasha and Kagome would do everything in their power to save Kohaku for Sango. "Thanks." She whispered, touching the tips of her fingers against the back of his hand. It was nice to be touched appropriately by him, for once.

"I don't know what Naraku's got up his sleeve, but I got a bad feeling about this." Inuyasha said.

**Note, note, note, noooote; **I just wanted y'all to know that I won't be posting any chapters on the weekends. I don't get online at all during that time, which is why I only thought it fair to put up two chapters today. Hope you enjoy what you've read so far, and I'll be happy to continue updating at the beginning of next week. I appreciate everything! Thanks!


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer; **I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters.  
>I just wanted to mention that I have never been able to locate Shippo's father's true name. If anyone has been able to find it, I would appreciate it if you messaged me the information. Until that happens, I will simply pick a name that I think is suitable and I'll go from there.<p>

_A long, long time ago..._  
>Blue-green eyes flickered as a vulpine head turned about, locking with the gray pair that peered from a cream colored crown. <strong>Why are you following me? <strong> She asked, stepping slowly towards him with her soft hued nose quivering 'pon the intake of his scent. His ebon' tipped auds folded back against his crown and he leaned in close, hesitating in his answer. If warmth could've spread across the fur in his face, it most certainly would have in that moment. **I-I.. I'm sorry. I just, I saw you in the glade, and I had to meet you. I need to know.. What is your name? **She fluttered her lashes, settling upon her haunches in an easy, graceful sweep. Her multitude of tails cascaded around the contours of her fox shape, and flared out much like an elaborate fan with the fluffy tips veiling her face. **Kamiko.** She said shyly, casting her eyes down. He shuddered at the beautiful sound of her name leaving her own lips, and he stepped quickly towards her, touching his nose against her cheek. **You're so beautiful. Please, don't look away from me. ** He settled down in front of her, raising his crown to rest it over the top of hers. A soft, murmuring sound resonated in his broad chest, rippling deeply in his heart at the totality of peace that he was feeling.

"Isamu, have you been listening to the forest?" She asked, rising from the waters of the hot spring to look at him. "Yes, my love. The stories of a miasmic, demon's aura have been growing more frequent, especially in our area. I wonder if it would be best for us to move our family before it gets any larger." He waded closer to her and extended his hand, brushing the tips of his claws across the bare prominence of her pregnant belly. She sighed contentedly at his caress, closing her eyes in an inward debate over their current predicament. "No. If we should run then that would only imply fear on our part. I will not flee the place our son was created. Instead, I feel it necessary to seek out this demon and end him first." Isamu groaned faintly, a smile crossing his features as he stared longingly upon his beautiful wife. "I was afraid you were going to say that. My sweet Kamiko, I don't want to lose you or our child. I have a bad feeling that attempting this may be the end of us." Kamiko touched her index finger to his lips to silence his fears, and then brought her hand away, brushing it across his cheek. "Perhaps seperately we might be worried. But together, we can stop him. I know this to be true."

Somewhere away from them in a deep, dark hole as the scum of the earth... A young man sat upon a futon, his blanket wrinkled and in dissaray across his legs. "What troubles you, young man?" An older monk inquired, crouching down on one knee alongside the youth. He took a deep breath, fixing his eyes on the holy man before he answered. "In the past few nights, I have been visited by a pair of foxes. They whisper sweet things in my ear, asking for my soul in return for small favors. Each night they grow more and more anxious, and I fear that they will come for me. So I ask you, monk; please, my servants know where the foxes are holed up, and I will gladly pay you to rid me of their treachery." The monk nodded his head gravely, "A tormenting fox is a terrible burden to bare. But if it will help you, young lord, I will gladly do this service for you."

"You're so beautiful, my dear Shippo." She cooed, stroking his sleeping face with the lightest of touches. "I hope your father makes it home soon. He's been gone for a long time." As if she was unable to ignore the wanting, she brushed her fingertips across the jade bangle that stood out against the color of her skin. Kamiko felt a bristling in her instincts and stiffened, lifting herself up from the bed of furs she'd been resting on with her kit. She sniffed the air curiously, putting her legs underneath her body so that she could get to her feet. Her enchanted eyes took in the darkness of her den, adjusting to what little light there was and enabling her to see even in this pitch black hole. _What is that? _ She thought, sniffing again as she approached the opening of the den in order to glimpse out. Through the moonlight, she could see three shapes manifesting in the trees and her tail bristled as she snapped backwards in the den. Her breath came in labored strokes as she leaned back against the wall, pressing herself into the stone as hard as she possibly could to deter any sign of her movements. One of the men stepped forward, crouching down to strike a flint over a pile of sticks that had a strange, blue powder on them. The flames erupted, glowing a brilliant pink hue in the darkness, and the smoke that plumed from it was thick lavender. It swelled in size, pooling into the opening of her den from the fan that he waved behind it. Kamiko held the sleeve of her kimono over her nose, wrinkling it at the sheer putrid state of the scent. She coughed, averting her eyes towards her young son who was writhing on the bed. Her pools widened, realization suddenly striking her that he wasn't going to be any match for the spell in his youth.

Kamiko removed the top layer of her kimono and raced to Shippo's side, wrapping him completely in the garment. She twisted the sleeves together, tears streaming down her face as the chemicals were burning her eyes. She whimpered softly, raising her hand above the fabric for her eyes to light up a striking blue. Her tail split into two and her head shifted; bone altering as she transformed down into her fox form. Her silver body took up a great deal of the den, pressing in close to the kit she'd secured in the bundle. She brushed one of her tails over the kimono and it begun to hum; the sound seeming to sound much like she did when she sang to the boy. Though no normal, human eyes would be able to see it, the bag was glowing with demon energy. Kamiko whimpered faintly, brushing her muzzle over where the top of Shippo's head was at. **I love you. ** She could hear the other voices drawing near, speculating over why she hadn't come running out of the den just yet, and she thought the entire thing laughable until she heard an older man speak. "She's achieved her ninth tail. Or so the young lord said. I've taken down her kind before, but that's not to say it will be easy." Kamiko leaped from the entrance of the den then, snarling loudly as the flames exploded from the fire, engulfing the monk that had been fanning it the entire time. Her hackles stood on end, tails sweeping out behind her haunches as she stepped lightly to one side of the monks. She was purposely directing them away from her home, but more importantly, leading them from her pride which lay within. "Kamiko." The older man said, straightening up and tightening his grip on the staff at his side. She hissed at the sound of her name, baring her fangs at him with the venomous thoughts of a deadly serpent. The young monk remaining thrust his hand deep into his robes, removing a purple sutra from a fold in the cloth to chant over. He closed his eyes, orbs of silver swirling about the paper with each word he added to the chant. He struck with it, slinging it at her like a fast pitched baseball. Kamiko braced herself, striking her tails out like a bat to send the sutra flying right back at the boy. Blue flames licked at the tips of her tails, smoking beautifully as she straightened her body out in a most regal pose. The paper hovered dangerously in front of the boy's face for only a second before it plastered itself there, melting with his skin and burning straight down to the bone much like acid. He screamed pitifully, clawing frantically at his own face in blindness of what was going on. In tearing at his own skin, he ripped away fragments of his own flesh that had to be damaged and it seemed that was part of the trick.

The older monk took his time unlike his dead counterparts. He raised his staff from the ground, holding it out horizontally in front of him. His bald head seemed to reflect the light off the still burning fires, his eyes darker than void, and his voice broke through the stillness in her name. She froze at the sound of her name, unsure for a moment that she'd even heard it to begin with. "You didn't think I knew your name, did you?" He asked, bringing one hand close to hold it out in front of himself in prayer. "It's been a long time since I last saw you. When I was commissioned for this task, I wasn't certain that it was even you until the young lord spoke of the flowers that bloom near your home. Moon flowers. Surely a strange plant for this region or even this time of year, but they are still your favorite. Isn't that what you said to my father, dear girl?" He asked, closing his eyes without even the slightest hint of worry crossing his features. **Your father was a piggish man who had no right to wear the title of a monk. You are no better, I see.** He chuckled faintly, "Oh, you haven't noticed yet. My apologies. You see, while my father wasn't devout in his teachings, I have been. I've spent the entirety of my life searching for the appropriate spell to cleanse the earth of you, and through the assistance of my employer, I happened to find it. Die." The staff in his hands began to glow an illustrious purple hue, and pulsed madly, imitating the state of his elderly heartbeat. Waves shot out from it with each pulse, starting towards her without actually reaching the vixen. She grit her teeth together, feeling the pull of her muscles getting tight as the flames on her tails began to die down. **Oh, no you dont! ** She snarled, tossing her head with a savage snort that burst steam and smoke in the night air. She lunged forward, snapping her jaws like a vice around the glowing staff. Electricity coursed off of it, surging powerfully at the combined pressure of their energy. He jerked backward, snatching it from her in order to strike her down with it. She leapt sideways, feeling the skin giving way at her shoulder where the artifact was able to rip her flesh. She spun in a circle, striking him with her tails and sending him through the grass. She was a blur in movement, leaping forward again with her claws extended outward. Kamiko caught the staff again with her teeth and thrust her paw forward, slashing her talons across his face with such force the bones on the right side were shattered.

She snatched her head to one side, splitting the staff in half with all the strength she had applied. The momentum they were still following sent the both of them into the grass with a hardened smack. She was standing over him, staff dangling from her jaws and blood running thick from her wounded shoulder. It pooled across the monk's chest, infiltrating his blood and bubbling it in a strong boil. She tossed her crown, throwing the staff piece away from the both of them, and she was about to bury her teeth in his skull when she heard a soft cry. Her blue-green eyes shot upward to lock with the large ones of her son; his tiny fox body still partially tangled in the kimono she'd wrapped him in. He was staring at her in wonder, tears welling up in his orbs out of fear for what he was witnessing. All the aggression washed away at the sight of her child, and she heard his whimpers of her mothering title leaving his muzzle. She was just about to call to him when a sharp pain tore through her chest. Kamiko threw her muzzle up, howling in pain as the pure energy of the broken artifact penetrated her flesh. She bucked; her tails bristling and thrashing all over the place as the weapon dissolved into her bloodstream. The monk dropped his hand down, staring up at the vixen in the certainty that he would live on and she would not. What he hadn't expected was for her to still be able to move even after that. She snarled, burying her fangs in the solid bone of his skull and shaking violently, ripping his skull clean from the vertebrae of his spine. His body burned into ash underneath her from a combination of his decapitation, and her blood boiling his flesh to nothingness. Kamiko heaved for her breath, losing her sense of sight in a matter of seconds as she could feel the purity flooding her veins. She stumbled forward a few steps and collapsed, falling to her side amongst the same flowers she treasured so.

**Mother! ** Shippo called, stumbling through the silk of her kimono to untangle himself. He crawled part of the way in the cloth and then freed himself about halfway, sprinting the remainder of the distance. He dropped his small head, brushing his muzzle underneath hers in an attempt to rouse her. Kamiko stared listlessly ahead in the darkness of loss, her body slowly losing its ability to move at all. Her tails curled, brushing across Shippo's back to guide him up onto her side. **Rest, baby.. Mother is alright. ** She breathed; her lids descending slowly as she savored the feel of his infant size curling into a ball just behind her unwounded shoulder. Her tails arched up one more time and fell, resting gingerly around the kit with a ghoulish glow harmonizing between the tip of each. It was a warning for all that death would come swift to those who dared attempt to remove him.

"Kamiko!" Isamu screamed, running forward at the swiftness his demonic legs would carry him, and he dropped to his knees at the side of his vixen bride. His shoulders hunched forward as he reached towards her, brushing his hand across the side of her face. Tears filmed his eyes, streaming in rivers down his cheeks as he shuddered violently with the threat of sobs rocking him. "My love.. My dearest mate." He choked, grabbing her fore-paws to drag her through the flowers and close to him, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a tight embrace. Isamu buried his face in the fur at the side of her neck, breathing in the last traces of her true scent that he could find. As he lifted her that partial way, her tails fluttered in feathery affect towards the ground and revealed their son to his hazy eyes. He gasped, feeling his heart leap in his throat at the mere idea that their son might not be as she was. He gently set her back down and grasped their child, lifting him up into his arms to hold him tight against his chest. Isamu whimpered, closing his eyes tight and furrowing his brow as he rocked gently to keep from further rousing the boy. Shippo cracked his eyes, glancing upwards tiredly and seeing the crimson hair that fell so wildly from his father's crown. "Father?" He whispered. Isamu flinched at the title, pulling away just enough to stare at his beloved child's face. He couldn't even begin to express the wonder at how happy he was to find Shippo alive, and yet, how bitter and sad he was to discover the death of his beloved. "Shh.. Mother's sleeping." The boy murmured, nestling his face into the forest hues of his father's attire. Isamu touched his hand against the back of Shippo's head and nodded his own in recognition, consistently breathing in the preciousness of his scent. "You're right. I should be quiet." He answered, staring over Shippo at the peaceful expression of his mate. The artifact that had been plunged into her chest had completely disappeared into her bloodstream, but he was more than aware of what had caused the end of his love. Isamu rose to his feet and padded quietly to their den, placing Shippo on the bed and tucking the fur around him to make him think someone was there. Then, he returned to the sight of his wife and gathered her fox form in his arms, lifting her from the flowers. The petals brushed from her fur, falling sweetly away he strode to the center of their formation. He set her down once more and left, returning only with a wet cloth to wash away the sight of blood from her beauty. Isamu was careful and quick, placing a wreath of flowers around her neck and then removing the jade bangle from her fore-paw before he set her ablaze with his fox fire. There was no odor of death in this funeral burn. The only scent to be had was the enriching perfume of moonlight and wonder.

It was not but a short time afterwards that Isamu learned of the rising of a half-demon from the alleged, purity binding to a tree, and he wondered then if perhaps the same could be done for his long dead beloved. In the time that it took for him to devise a plan to approach the maiden who supposedly roused the demon, he was attacked by the devious, Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten. Isamu was not fated to live through the battle, and thus his fur was made into an ornament for the more hideous of the two. His want to continue protecting his child ran through even in death, and his fox fire, bearing two qualities; did not burn the maiden who saved the demon, but instead protected them both. His last thought in death was that perhaps his son would live the same, full life that he had without making the same mistakes, and that maybe... just maybe, he would see Kamiko again. If only just to tell her how much he truly loved her.


End file.
